October 30, 2023

A ride at Canada's Wonderland stopped suddenly on Sunday, leaving passengers crying for help. After hanging upside down for over 30 min, they were finally rescued.

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In this week’s email:

The big idea: Philadelphia Orchestra strikes a deal
Music and Politics: Israel-Hamas War results in cancellation of concert at Cambridge
Orchestra: New directors appointed at BBC Symphony and Philharmonic
Photo of the week
Around the web: Atlas Obscura’s Spooky Snaps contest, winners, a fall leaf colour map, play the role of a billionaire, plus more curious internet finds.

CLASSICAL CHARTZ

Weekly selections are based on sales numbers and albums we simply love and think you NEED to hear!

For the complete top 20, tune into Classical Chartz with the New Classical FM’s Mark Wigmore every Saturday from 3-5 pm EST!

THE BIG IDEA

Philadelphia Orchestra Strikes a Deal

The Philadelphia Orchestra musicians have officially ratified a new three-year contract with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center (POKC).

This new contract succeeds the four-year contract that concluded on September 10, 2023, and will expire on September 13, 2026.

History

The Philadelphia Orchestra was founded in 2001 and stands as the youngest member of the prestigious Big-5 Orchestras in the US. Nestled in the heart of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, call the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts home. With over 130 subscription concerts at Verizon Hall every year, they're one of the central arts organizations in the city.

Currently, the baton is wielded by Canadian conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin as music director.

Tough negotiations

In August 2023, 95% of the orchestra's voting members agreed to strike if a satisfactory collective bargaining agreement wasn't established.

The negotiations in September presented their own set of challenges. The orchestra's musicians declined the initial contract offer. Following this, the next month's proposal also faced opposition, with 81 of the 89 musicians voting against it.

Nézet-Séguin has been a vocal supporter of the musician’s union, writing a letter to the company's leaders urging them to “find a solution to compensate our artists appropriately.”

Key figures:

POKC initially tried to win them over with a 13% raise, then upped the stakes to 13.5%. The latest deal promises a 15.8% base salary boost over three years.

Year 1: 6%
Year 2: 4.5%
Year 3: 4.5%

By the third year, those stepping in as substitutes or extra musicians will earn as much as the full-timers.

Freelancers were also included in the new deal. Concerts that are cancelled with less than two weeks' notice will see them receive payment in full.

How they compare

Data from press releases and news stories compiled across organizations.

The base salary of the orchestra musicians will go from $137,800 to $152,256, making them one of the highest paid in the country.

TOUR DE HEADLINES

Michael Tilson Thomas. Photo courtesy of the artist

San Francisco to Honor Michael Tilson Thomas by Dedicating a Street to Him — San Francisco is renaming a central block "MTT Way" to celebrate Michael Tilson Thomas's significant contributions to the city's music scene. The renowned conductor's 25-year tenure with the San Francisco Symphony earned widespread acclaim and 12 GRAMMY Awards. | The Violin Channel

A Crowdsourced Violin? Check out the Traveling Violinabox — The Violinabox, a unique instrument created collaboratively by 10 violin makers from nine countries, has been journeying worldwide, gathering musical snippets from diverse communities. After touring various U.S. cities, this crowdsourced violin, crafted with locally-sourced materials, will soon venture to another continent. | Violinist.com

Steinway Celebrates 100 Years of Disney — Steinway & Sons commemorated Disney's 100th anniversary with the limited-edition Steinway X Disney: Mickey Mouse piano, unveiled on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” Featuring unique design elements by artist Elena Salmistraro and advanced SPIRIO |r player technology, only 25 of these special pianos will be crafted. | World Piano News

How Apple Gave People Access to a Library Full of Classical Music – And Tried to Make It Accessible — Apple introduced Apple Music Classical, a dedicated app for classical music enthusiasts, offering a vast library, exclusive content, and partnerships with renowned orchestras. The app, developed after acquiring Primephonic, emphasizes human curation, sophisticated search, and making classical music accessible to both newcomers and aficionados. | The Independent

BBC Radio Sees Incredible quarter for Classical Music and Live Sport With Listener Increases for Radio 3, 5 Live and a Record 602 Million Plays on BBC Sounds — BBC Radio experienced a surge in listenership, particularly in classical music and live sports, with Radio 3, 5 Live, and a record 602 million plays on BBC Sounds. The success is attributed to partnerships like the London Philharmonic Orchestra, exclusive content, and an emphasis on making classical music accessible to all. | BBC

MUSIC AND POLITICS

Israel-Hamas War Inspires Cancellation of Handel Oratorio at Cambridge

Cambridge University has cancelled performances of Handel’s Saul due to its similarities to the situation in the Middle East.

What’s Up?: The Cambridge University Opera Company has cancelled performances of Handel’s 1738 oratorio, Saul. Director Max Mason cited the oratorio’s “striking synchronicity” with the current events in the Middle East as their reason for canceling. “Our production was not the place to fully confront [these] issues,” he explained.

Refresher: Saul, composed by G.F. Handel in 1738, is based on the Book of Samuel with a libretto by Charles Jennens. It tells of the jealous relationship between David and Saul, two Kings of Israel, after David has slain Goliath from the Philistines. The Philistines lived in what is now the modern-day Gaza Strip and inspired the name Palestine.

Going Deeper: Critics of the opera company have called the decision an extreme example of cancel culture. David Abulafia, a professor emeritus of history at Cambridge, explained that the Philistines were probably more closely related to Mycenaean Greeks than Palestinians upon hearing of the cancellation. Meanwhile, in New York City, the New York Philharmonic went ahead with another Handel oratorio that parallels today’s events: Israel in Egypt.

ORCHESTRA

BBC Symphony Orchestra. Photo courtesy of the artist

New Directors Appointed at BBC Symphony and Philharmonic

The BBC has named Bill Chandler as the new director of the BBC Symphony and Chorus and Adam Szabo as the new director of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

What’s Up?: Following an extensive search, the British Broadcasting Corporation has appointed Bill Chandler to lead the BBC Symphony and Chorus and Adam Szabo to lead the BBC Philharmonic. Chandler, originally from the US, was previously director of the BBC Concert Orchestra as well as a violinist in the Houston Symphony. Szabo is a cellist who has played with the BBC Philharmonic himself. He has also been artistic director and chief executive of the Manchester Collective since 2016, organizing cutting edge contemporary performances in diverse venues.

Refresher: The British Broadcasting Corporation supports five full-time orchestras and one chamber choir, employing over 400 musicians unionized under the Musicians’ Union. They include the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Philharmonic, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers, BBC Symphony Chorus and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Going Deeper: Earlier this year, the BBC announced cuts to its classical music departments. These included a 20% reduction in roles in the BBC Philharmonic, Symphony and Concert Orchestras, as well as a plan to scrap the BBC Singers, which they have since reversed. Chandler and Szabo will have their work cut out for them when it comes to combating these challenges.

QUIZ

Can you recognize the composer depicted in this statue?

Scroll down for the answer…

AROUND THE WEB

📅 On this day: Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland premieres in 1944.

🛥️ Cure Boredom: Someone made a website where you can play the role of a billionaire and decide to end world hunger or buy luxury yachts.

🦇 Photos: See the winning photos from this year’s Atlas Obscura’s Spooky Snaps contest.

🍁 Useful: This map will tell you when and where leaves are predicted to change colour in the US.

🦉 Aww: This owl is getting into the Halloween spirit.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Béla Bartók pictured using a gramophone to record folk songs in what is now known as Slovakia. (Circa 1908)

QUIZ ANSWER

The statue of the famous Czech composer Bedřich Smetana (1824–1884). It is located outside the Smetana Museum in Prague, Czech Republic.

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